How To Prepare for Attending A Church Service

What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything is to be done for building up. (1 Corinthians 14:26 CSB)

Everyone who is reading this has gone to a concert. The object of a concert is to entertain the audience. Probably everyone reading this has gone to a lecture. The purpose of a lecture is to teach you something. In neither one of these situations is the audience required to do anything.

Somehow, these same ideas have crept into our church services. Those attending are expecting to be entertained and taught without having a part in the service. That is not the purpose of a church service.

Now, don’t stop reading because you think this is a rant against what churches are doing, because it isn’t. This is a short teaching about what is expected from those that are sitting in the pews.

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1 CSB)

When Paul penned chapters 11-14 of First Corinthians, he was teaching the church at Corinth how to hold a church service. Verse 26 of Chapter 14 is Paul’s instruction to the congregation. This differs from almost all of our modern church services.

Paul is telling us we need to be prepared before the church service. It is not a spectator event, but an opportunity for a believer to minister to another believer.

God may want you to give a word of encouragement or exhortation to another. It may be He has you pray with someone or help them financially. Or maybe a scripture and a quick lesson for another believer. The Lord may need you to give a prophecy or tongue and interpretation for the congregation.

The point is, how can you be ready for God to use you if you haven’t prepared?

 
How to Prepare for Attending a Church Service

1. Spend time in prayer either Saturday evening or Sunday morning specifically about the service. Ask God if there is anything you need to do or know about the service. Remember, it is the Holy Spirit’s job to tell us of things to come. (see John 16:13.
2. Come prepared with whatever the Spirit told you to do.
3. Come worshiping the Lord. The time to start worshiping is before you enter the service.
4. Share with the pastor “one thing.” If possible, share with your pastor one significant takeaway from the sermon. Pastors hear countless “good job, pastor,” or “nice message, pastor,” but they long to know if God really made a difference in the lives of the church members through the preached word. Communicate just one takeaway from the sermon in person, by email, or on social media. It will encourage your pastor.

If you do these four steps, you will find the church services start changing for you. You will experience a stronger presence of God, learn more from the service, and have an increased passion for God and His Word.

Prayer

Father, it is my deepest desire to serve You in any way possible. Forgive me for my lack of effort in preparing to attend church. From this day forward, I will prepare before attending any church service. I am available for You to use me in any way that You desire. Please use me. In Jesus name. Amen.

Additional Scriptures

Isaiah 56:7; Mark 11:17; John 4:24; Colossians 3:14-17; Psalm 95:1; Isaiah 12:5; Hebrews 13:15